Beserker
Grey Hound
It is four o’clock in the morning,
Heavy rain begins to fall…
ZZTop
I’m going on a trip,
And I’m gonna ride it all..
Me
It is coming down in buckets outside, and I’m in doubt as to whether we would be able to go.
We being me, Peter https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=35018.0, Danie https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=25319.0 and Gareth. It was to be Gareth’s first trip after I have convinced him to saddle up…Suzuki DR bought 3 weeks prior and prepped.
The intention was to trailer to Citrusdal and thus avoid the N7..from there dirt all the way to Lutzville, up the West coast to Kooingaas for a refuel via Groenrivier and Hondeklipbaai.
From Kooingaas, inland, through the Namakwa National park, over Wildeperdhoek pass, Lekkersing, Kuboes, Eksteenfontein, Namakwa 4x4 route along the Orange, cross the N7 at Vioolsdrif, on to Pella, down to Pofadder, Loeriesfontein and through the Tankwa to Wuppertal, Eselbank, Kromrivier, Citrusdal and back home, roughly 1900km of offroad…not, as you will see.
Fortunately Friday dawned clear and bright, albeit a little chilly.
After some hassles with the bakkie, we left my place at about 13:00 (intended departure was 9…so already behind schedule!)
To complicate matters, Danie got in a late job which he had to do, and we arranged to meet him in Lutzville, at the pub.
Shooting past the Cederberg foothills one could see snow on the mountain, and I started wondering about our fast and light strategy (the first bit of kit that did not make the cut for a space on our bikes was tents (to bulky and heavy)
We took the Agter Paleisheuwel road, about 20 km north of Citrusdal, and after the rain the previous night, were immediately confronted by the mud monster.
Some of the “puddles” was about knee height deep, and 30 – 50 m long….fun fun
fun!
The only one to invest in real estate here, was Gareth, side swiping about 5 times across the “middelmannetjie” before losing it, pulled a muscle in his shoulder, but apart from that, no harm done.
I snapped this one of just as the sun was setting, with about a 100 km’s to go.
Arriving in Lutzville an hour after dark, we filled up and retired to the pub..(Dinner was had at the pub, West Coast sized portions, it did not disappoint)
Danie arrived about half an hour after us, and not feeling like the stretch to Brand se Baai at night we were hesitant to carry on. The bitingly cold wind blowing in from across the Atlantic made the prospect of bush camping next to the sea without a tent even less appealing.
Asking the locals for suggestions, it was suggested that we should use the TransHex mining mess…it was abandoned and we were assured “no one would mind”
Getting directions we were overheard by Zelda, and we were promptly invited to spend the night at their place..as if we needed prompting.
Zelda is a local “koolsaad” farmer and also has her own land pump station (for diamonds) Kobus is captain of a diamond dive boat, and was henceforth referred to as “Kaptein” .
What a lady…Zelda.
The next morning, very grateful for having spent the night indoors, saw us off with a lingering Drambuie memory….thank you Kaptein!
As usual, the West Coast did not disappoint..
One of many, many gates, all closed. Apparently the farmers run their sheep closer to the coastline during winter.
Lunch..
Groenrivier
A quick cuppa with John and Zan, pleasantly surprised that I made it this time..
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=30681.0
Being quite late(as in f@rking late in terms of our schedule) we decided to push on post haste.
Getting to Kooingas, the first issue…late and petrol pump closed. The only option would be to carry on to Springbok, and hope we make it before we run out of fuel.
With the sun dipping towards the horizon, we shunted in a fuel efficient manner for Springbok…reminded me a bit of making for the loo with gypo guts…controlled haste, very smoothly.
A quick smokebreak on top of Wildeperdehoek pass..
On the other side, checking who will be making it or not..
Of course, Danie and Gareth, not used to being in the vicinity off an XR, had to be kept at bay with a fly swatter. The minute I turn my back, they’re all over it.
We made Springbok in time for the last 15 min of Stormers being bluebullied, and joined in at the local pub. For fans rooting for the loosing team, the Springbokkers were v-e-r-y cheerful, and we felt right at home.
Already dark outside, we decided to make camp, but for the local campground you had show some tent, contradictory to our fast and light policy. (Never mind the fact that the “fast” part of the policy also fell by the wayside when we realised Gareth has never ridden sand before…yet he did the whole stretch without a word of complaint)
We found a guesthouse that had some Wendy houses to let..R90 pp, bargain.
The next morning we were up bright and cheerful, refuelling for the stretch to the start of part 2 of the Namakwa 4 x 4 route, to Pella.
We left in high spirits, looking forward to some fine riding…20km before Steikopf…DISASTER!
Chain broke, fortunately saved by the case saver.
Dr Suz and Dr Uki to the rescue..
Although I carry spare links and 2 master links, the day was saved by Danie finding a willing teacher in Steinkopf with the necessary grinder to removed my mauled links.
We got going soon enough, but considering our pace the previous day, and expecting some serious sand along the Gariep, decided to make straight for Loeriesfontein through the Concordia conservancy.
The RR’s that made us lus:
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=40652.msg791461#msg791461
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=17641.msg280654#msg280654
Everybody, including Gareth was somewhat disappointed, the upside is that we travelled a road that under different circumstances we would pass by. Some random pics, the Northern Cape is H-U-G-E.
Battle formation:
It’s a bird, it’s a plane..no, it’s a BMW poser..2StrokeDan standing:
But is it big enough?
On the move..
Action!
Just before Loeriesfontein, like I said the place is big. My good friend Joe reckons “So wyd soos die Here se genade.”
We got to Loeriesfontein after dark and filled up.
Being Sunday, with a job waiting, Danie decided to head back to Stellenbosch.
WTF…over 600km through the Northern Cape, in the dark, blik boude se m03r!
Big enough, I would say!
The hotel kindly let us a flat, and opened the bar…we are growing soft, our last night and our backsides has still to see the cold, hard ground through a thin mattress.
The next morning, another first, we were ready to roll by 7 0’clock.
Following the advice of a farmer we happened upon in a dry riverbed outside Loeriesfontein “Ja..ga ma an, by die blink hekkie swaai jy weg berg se kant toe en dan….” We a followed a maze of small roads to the top of the Hantam mountains, and then along the ridge past places like “Ramme se Kop”, “Heitoes” en “Kareeboom”, some random shots.
The Hantams in the distance.
Getting there.
Who says bikers are not tree huggers as well?
The escarpment.
The ridge.
Coming down, we were spat out into another dry river bed, and Gareth got a taste of a different kind of sand…wasn’t interested and bought no real estate though.
Lunchtime!
After lunch we eventually reached a dirt road that took us to Niewoudtsville, where we had a hurried cold one…the road was still long, and shunning the dirt highways, we had every intention of finding something interesting.
Quiver tree forest en route.
Once again, randomly selecting a track paid out dividends, we were in Nirvana.
Pete decides on a bit of Dutch courage as the track deteriorates to the extend where it is distinguishable by virtue of less vegetation (you can make it out should you extend a line from the XR to the DR and beyond)
Once again, the sand monster gave Gareth a small bite, but the rocks dropping down from the escarpment posed no problem.
A bit more hairy…Dobbelaarskop
Not having a bike jacket, and my old yachting jacket in tatters, I’ve been freezing most of the time on the trip. Now they are sweating though..
Found this very pleasant overhang with a view, and Pete and Gareth shedded their jackets.
Ouch!
Cat like grace from a pig like bike, the tanker.
The track steadily improved, and once down the mountain, became a very clear single track which meandered alongside the river, about 10m above the riverbed.
We eventually made it to the district road, with the area we traversed in the background behind us.
Who would have guessed there is an 90km track leading through the koppies?
Starting up, we all agreed that it is now time to get home, we were still a couple of hundred km from home, it is four o’clock and night comes swiftly in the Cederberg.
Just outside Welgemoed I had the fright of my life…riding behind Gareth I had the full grandstand view of him overcooking a turn.
His first bounce was off the shoulder of the road, the second bounce was over the rock just before the bush, where the bike turned 90 degrees in the air, and flung him of.
He safely landed in the second bush, and not even having touched the ground, was already posing by the time I whipped my camera clear.
Different kettle of fish, extraditing the bike from the bush, but once clear and the handlebar re-adjusted, we were ready for take 2.
Of course, the “Le Cap” bashplate paid for itself, imagine cracking that case, 200km to go, sun setting…aaarg!
For the record, as a fall is only deemed a fall once separation occurs, this was only Gareth’s second of the trip. Not even the one in front of the bar in Springbok counts.
A final stop on the bridge over the Pakhuis rivier (I think)
…and we were off home, no more pics. We got home at about 23:00 Monday, and Tuesday was a waste, everybody was dead tired….way to go!!
Thank you for reading, hope it gets the juices flowing, and send you off on your bikes.
Footnote: Although he did newspaper deliveries on a fifty as a kid, Gareth has had a hiatus from riding for a couple of years. Since buying the DR three weeks back, he has ridden all of 5 km on it as we tore it down and rebuilt it, still fitting stuff the night before we left.
For a first time out noob ride, this was very much a throwing in at the deep end of the pool type of ride..Gareth you rock!
Due to the railway strike at the time of us prepping the bike for the trip, he only received the long range tank two days after the trip.. THIS IS AFRICA..whoopee!
Bike serviced, tank fitted, and Gareth is ready for the next one..what it looks like now:
Heavy rain begins to fall…
ZZTop
I’m going on a trip,
And I’m gonna ride it all..
Me
It is coming down in buckets outside, and I’m in doubt as to whether we would be able to go.
We being me, Peter https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=35018.0, Danie https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=25319.0 and Gareth. It was to be Gareth’s first trip after I have convinced him to saddle up…Suzuki DR bought 3 weeks prior and prepped.
The intention was to trailer to Citrusdal and thus avoid the N7..from there dirt all the way to Lutzville, up the West coast to Kooingaas for a refuel via Groenrivier and Hondeklipbaai.
From Kooingaas, inland, through the Namakwa National park, over Wildeperdhoek pass, Lekkersing, Kuboes, Eksteenfontein, Namakwa 4x4 route along the Orange, cross the N7 at Vioolsdrif, on to Pella, down to Pofadder, Loeriesfontein and through the Tankwa to Wuppertal, Eselbank, Kromrivier, Citrusdal and back home, roughly 1900km of offroad…not, as you will see.
Fortunately Friday dawned clear and bright, albeit a little chilly.
After some hassles with the bakkie, we left my place at about 13:00 (intended departure was 9…so already behind schedule!)
To complicate matters, Danie got in a late job which he had to do, and we arranged to meet him in Lutzville, at the pub.
Shooting past the Cederberg foothills one could see snow on the mountain, and I started wondering about our fast and light strategy (the first bit of kit that did not make the cut for a space on our bikes was tents (to bulky and heavy)
We took the Agter Paleisheuwel road, about 20 km north of Citrusdal, and after the rain the previous night, were immediately confronted by the mud monster.
Some of the “puddles” was about knee height deep, and 30 – 50 m long….fun fun
fun!
The only one to invest in real estate here, was Gareth, side swiping about 5 times across the “middelmannetjie” before losing it, pulled a muscle in his shoulder, but apart from that, no harm done.
I snapped this one of just as the sun was setting, with about a 100 km’s to go.
Arriving in Lutzville an hour after dark, we filled up and retired to the pub..(Dinner was had at the pub, West Coast sized portions, it did not disappoint)
Danie arrived about half an hour after us, and not feeling like the stretch to Brand se Baai at night we were hesitant to carry on. The bitingly cold wind blowing in from across the Atlantic made the prospect of bush camping next to the sea without a tent even less appealing.
Asking the locals for suggestions, it was suggested that we should use the TransHex mining mess…it was abandoned and we were assured “no one would mind”
Getting directions we were overheard by Zelda, and we were promptly invited to spend the night at their place..as if we needed prompting.
Zelda is a local “koolsaad” farmer and also has her own land pump station (for diamonds) Kobus is captain of a diamond dive boat, and was henceforth referred to as “Kaptein” .
What a lady…Zelda.
The next morning, very grateful for having spent the night indoors, saw us off with a lingering Drambuie memory….thank you Kaptein!
As usual, the West Coast did not disappoint..
One of many, many gates, all closed. Apparently the farmers run their sheep closer to the coastline during winter.
Lunch..
Groenrivier
A quick cuppa with John and Zan, pleasantly surprised that I made it this time..
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=30681.0
Being quite late(as in f@rking late in terms of our schedule) we decided to push on post haste.
Getting to Kooingas, the first issue…late and petrol pump closed. The only option would be to carry on to Springbok, and hope we make it before we run out of fuel.
With the sun dipping towards the horizon, we shunted in a fuel efficient manner for Springbok…reminded me a bit of making for the loo with gypo guts…controlled haste, very smoothly.
A quick smokebreak on top of Wildeperdehoek pass..
On the other side, checking who will be making it or not..
Of course, Danie and Gareth, not used to being in the vicinity off an XR, had to be kept at bay with a fly swatter. The minute I turn my back, they’re all over it.
We made Springbok in time for the last 15 min of Stormers being bluebullied, and joined in at the local pub. For fans rooting for the loosing team, the Springbokkers were v-e-r-y cheerful, and we felt right at home.
Already dark outside, we decided to make camp, but for the local campground you had show some tent, contradictory to our fast and light policy. (Never mind the fact that the “fast” part of the policy also fell by the wayside when we realised Gareth has never ridden sand before…yet he did the whole stretch without a word of complaint)
We found a guesthouse that had some Wendy houses to let..R90 pp, bargain.
The next morning we were up bright and cheerful, refuelling for the stretch to the start of part 2 of the Namakwa 4 x 4 route, to Pella.
We left in high spirits, looking forward to some fine riding…20km before Steikopf…DISASTER!
Chain broke, fortunately saved by the case saver.
Dr Suz and Dr Uki to the rescue..
Although I carry spare links and 2 master links, the day was saved by Danie finding a willing teacher in Steinkopf with the necessary grinder to removed my mauled links.
We got going soon enough, but considering our pace the previous day, and expecting some serious sand along the Gariep, decided to make straight for Loeriesfontein through the Concordia conservancy.
The RR’s that made us lus:
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=40652.msg791461#msg791461
https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=17641.msg280654#msg280654
Everybody, including Gareth was somewhat disappointed, the upside is that we travelled a road that under different circumstances we would pass by. Some random pics, the Northern Cape is H-U-G-E.
Battle formation:
It’s a bird, it’s a plane..no, it’s a BMW poser..2StrokeDan standing:
But is it big enough?
On the move..
Action!
Just before Loeriesfontein, like I said the place is big. My good friend Joe reckons “So wyd soos die Here se genade.”
We got to Loeriesfontein after dark and filled up.
Being Sunday, with a job waiting, Danie decided to head back to Stellenbosch.
WTF…over 600km through the Northern Cape, in the dark, blik boude se m03r!
Big enough, I would say!
The hotel kindly let us a flat, and opened the bar…we are growing soft, our last night and our backsides has still to see the cold, hard ground through a thin mattress.
The next morning, another first, we were ready to roll by 7 0’clock.
Following the advice of a farmer we happened upon in a dry riverbed outside Loeriesfontein “Ja..ga ma an, by die blink hekkie swaai jy weg berg se kant toe en dan….” We a followed a maze of small roads to the top of the Hantam mountains, and then along the ridge past places like “Ramme se Kop”, “Heitoes” en “Kareeboom”, some random shots.
The Hantams in the distance.
Getting there.
Who says bikers are not tree huggers as well?
The escarpment.
The ridge.
Coming down, we were spat out into another dry river bed, and Gareth got a taste of a different kind of sand…wasn’t interested and bought no real estate though.
Lunchtime!
After lunch we eventually reached a dirt road that took us to Niewoudtsville, where we had a hurried cold one…the road was still long, and shunning the dirt highways, we had every intention of finding something interesting.
Quiver tree forest en route.
Once again, randomly selecting a track paid out dividends, we were in Nirvana.
Pete decides on a bit of Dutch courage as the track deteriorates to the extend where it is distinguishable by virtue of less vegetation (you can make it out should you extend a line from the XR to the DR and beyond)
Once again, the sand monster gave Gareth a small bite, but the rocks dropping down from the escarpment posed no problem.
A bit more hairy…Dobbelaarskop
Not having a bike jacket, and my old yachting jacket in tatters, I’ve been freezing most of the time on the trip. Now they are sweating though..
Found this very pleasant overhang with a view, and Pete and Gareth shedded their jackets.
Ouch!
Cat like grace from a pig like bike, the tanker.
The track steadily improved, and once down the mountain, became a very clear single track which meandered alongside the river, about 10m above the riverbed.
We eventually made it to the district road, with the area we traversed in the background behind us.
Who would have guessed there is an 90km track leading through the koppies?
Starting up, we all agreed that it is now time to get home, we were still a couple of hundred km from home, it is four o’clock and night comes swiftly in the Cederberg.
Just outside Welgemoed I had the fright of my life…riding behind Gareth I had the full grandstand view of him overcooking a turn.
His first bounce was off the shoulder of the road, the second bounce was over the rock just before the bush, where the bike turned 90 degrees in the air, and flung him of.
He safely landed in the second bush, and not even having touched the ground, was already posing by the time I whipped my camera clear.
Different kettle of fish, extraditing the bike from the bush, but once clear and the handlebar re-adjusted, we were ready for take 2.
Of course, the “Le Cap” bashplate paid for itself, imagine cracking that case, 200km to go, sun setting…aaarg!
For the record, as a fall is only deemed a fall once separation occurs, this was only Gareth’s second of the trip. Not even the one in front of the bar in Springbok counts.
A final stop on the bridge over the Pakhuis rivier (I think)
…and we were off home, no more pics. We got home at about 23:00 Monday, and Tuesday was a waste, everybody was dead tired….way to go!!
Thank you for reading, hope it gets the juices flowing, and send you off on your bikes.
Footnote: Although he did newspaper deliveries on a fifty as a kid, Gareth has had a hiatus from riding for a couple of years. Since buying the DR three weeks back, he has ridden all of 5 km on it as we tore it down and rebuilt it, still fitting stuff the night before we left.
For a first time out noob ride, this was very much a throwing in at the deep end of the pool type of ride..Gareth you rock!
Due to the railway strike at the time of us prepping the bike for the trip, he only received the long range tank two days after the trip.. THIS IS AFRICA..whoopee!
Bike serviced, tank fitted, and Gareth is ready for the next one..what it looks like now:
